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Does anyone know of any reputable places to purchase (resonably $) packages or queens (Italian or SMR) in or around the Indiana area (zone 5)? I'm looking bees specifically breed for this area.
Thank you

I think pretty much nobody selling package bees raises them in the north. The reason is the deep south has a two month head start on the far north. If I were to steal enough bees to make a package from my bees here (Nebraska) in early April to make a package I would leave them all in under populated to care for the brood they have. If I were to do it in May or June it would work just fine. In the south, in April they are where I won't be until May or June. So you may find QUEENS bred to live in your area, or NUCS from your area, but it's doubtful anyone packages bees in Indiana.

I would start by calling or writing some of the bee and package producers that are listed on the link from the home page. Some breeders, I'll take the Wooten's from California as example, have stock taken from hives overwintered in the north (Canada), and selected qualities such as winter hardy, early build-up, etc. They have been in the pollination business and traveled in northern areas for years. There are also others in your area that advertise packages with northern raised bees, but not available as early as those down south. ABJ and other mags have more than this site. You may wait a little longer, but if this is what your seeking, thats what you need to do.

I would NOT be selecting on winter-hardiness traits, or "northern raised" alone. This is an arguable "advertisement", ie. marketing northern raised bees as if they are superior. Many will tell you they had no problems with "southern" raised bees winter after winter. If I had my pick, MITE resistance and hygenic behavior would be the angle I would pursue. Northern raised bees die from mites just as much as southern bees. Pick a breeder who has been selecting survivor stock and has gone two-three years without chemicals. They are out there.

As I said, there are Norther breeders who will sell you Northern raised nucs, but I still don't know of any with packages that came from the north.

Lagrants has Northern raised queens and nucs. I have small cell northern raised nucs right now if anyone is interested. I actually have a variety of genetics depending on your preference from Ontario Italian queens to feral survivors and a lot in between.

I'm not sure what "North" is defined as, but packages from Tennessee, Ohio, and other states are north of the traditional Georgia and Florida that people call the southern breeders.

Why the emphasis on "Northern" packages anyway. Any bee from a package installed in the spring is dead long before the winter sets in. Except the Queen. Buy an early package from down south, then change her with a "northern" queen after the main flow is over and the honey is harvested. This really makes sense if your changing your queens on a yearly basis anyways. Northern hardy packages as marketed can swarm, or supersede, and what your left may not be what you were after anyways. Except for a particular queen, the rest is wasting your money. It does not matter what bees you have come spring if your buying at that time.(Saying they will all collect honey and survive the harsh spring noghts?) What kind of queen going into winter is more important.

Hi there. There are some local beekeepers that sell 4 and five frame nucs. That is all I will buy from now on as they get a faster start then packages and cost about the same. Do you belong to one of our bee associations yet?